Spirit-level.



H. W. LEIBY.

SPIRIT LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEELS, 1909.

Patented June 29, 1909.

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HENRY W. LEIBY, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIRIT-LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed February 3, 1909. Serial No. 475,751.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. LEIBY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spirit-Levels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to measuring instruments and particularly to a class thereunder known as spirit levels.

An object of this invention is to provide novel means for converting ordinary boards or the like into a spirit level or plumb, the said invention being capable of use regardless of the position of the bar to which it is attached, that is to say whether the said bar is in a vertical, horizontal, or intermediate position, and the invention further provides means whereby the level may be read regardless of the end of the bar that is uppermost.

A further object of this invention is to provide a plate having a plurality of tubes applied thereto, the said tubes being adjustable in order that they may be properly set with relation to the edge of the bar to which the plate is applied, means being also pro vided for holding the tubes or the casings containing them in the adjusted position.

The device embodying the invention can be used in connection with bars of different lengths thus rendering one plate with the tubes carried thereby applicable to a number of bars designed for different uses.

A further object of this invention is to provide a level having means for protecting the tubes, means being also provided for con'lining the tubes in the casings in order to prevent any movement of the tubes with relation to the casings.

Finally, an object ofthis invention is to reduce a device of the character noted which will prove efficient and satisfactory in use as well as inexpensive to manufacture.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, in which- Figure 1, illustrates a view in side eleval 11, and one of the tubes extending l l l l of the tubes lying tion of a bar with the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, illustrates a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3, illustrates a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, illustrates a section on the line 4l-4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, illustrates a perspective view of the plate with the lugs thereon.

In these drawings, 10, denotes what is commonly known in this art as a bar which may be of any ordinary size or construction and as it is the object of the inventor to have the attachment or spirit level proper at tached to bars of different construction, the bar will not be described in detail.

The bar is )rovided with a plate 11, having thereon a plurality of casings designed to contain tubes which are nearly filled with liquid as is ordinarily done with tubes of this character. The plate is provided 12, for each of the tubes, the said lug being transversely apertured and screw-threaded. Each tube 13, is inclosed by a casing 14, and the tube of each casing is preferably embedded in a plastic composition, such for in stance as plaster of paris, in order that the tube may be held rigid with relation to the casing. Each casing has a socket 15, in its under-surface near its end, designed to re ceive a lug 12, and the exterior surface of each casing at the lower edge thereof and preferably on one side, is provided with lugs 16 and 17, the lug 16, having an aperture 18, to receive a screw 19, and the lug 17, having a slot 20, to receive the screw 21. The sides of the casing are provided with apertures 22, which intersect the socket 15, in line with the aperture in the lug 12, and the screws 23 and 24 of each casing serve as means for adjusting the casing with relation to the lug; that is to say when the casing is to be moved, one of the screws is loosened and the other is tightened so as to move the casing in the desired direction and when the casing is to be adjusted, the screw 21, is moved out of contact with the lug 17, and the casing is then movable on the screw 19, as a pivot, and when the proper adjustment has been attained, the screw 21, is brought to bear on the lug 17, and all of the parts are held in proper position with relation to the plate 11.

WVhile I have described the construction of one of the casings and tubes, it is to be understood that the plate is provided with a plurality of tubes and I preferably have two transversely of the plate longiwith a lug tudinally of the plate preferably between the transversely disposed tubes, and the two transversely disposed tubes are exposed through apertures 25, formed in the wall of the casing toward the end of the plate to which it is applied, for, by this arrangement of the several casings, the tubes will be e:-: posed to the eyes of an operator when looking down or up when the bar is in a vertical position. If the plate is above the eyes of the operator when the bar is in contact with a wall or the like, the then underneath tube could be read, whereas if the plate is in position below the level of the eyes of the operator, the uppermost tube on the plate would be in his range of vision. Through the use of the tube and casing between the two transversely disposed tubes, a reading can be made when a bar is used to indicate a level.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the casings are all of the same construction and therefore they are interchangeable and should the tube which is being used to indicate a level become impaired or broken, one of the other casings could be temporarily substituted therefor and owing to the interchangeable nature of the casings, the practical utility of the invention is in creased. A new tube could then be placed in the casing in place of the one broken and the casing with the new tube could be reapplied to the plate.

I claim 1. In a measuring instrument, a bar, a plate applied thereto, lugs on the plate, casings transversely of the plate and a casing longitudinally of the plate, means for con necting the casings to the lugs whereby said casings are movable transversely, and means I I g I l I I l l l l l l I r l for adjustably connecting the casings to the plate.

2. In a measuring instrument, a plate having lugs thereon, casings having sockets to receive the lugs, said casings having apertures through the walls thereof merging with the sockets, screws threaded in the lugs and extending through the apertures of the walls of the casings whereby the casings are adjusted with relation to the lugs, lugs on the casings, and means engaging the lugs for holding the said casings on the plate.

3. A measuring instrument provided with a plate having lugs thereon with screw threaded apertures, casings having sockets adapted to receive the lugs, the walls of said casings having apertures, screws in the apertures of the casings adjustable in the screw threaded apertures of the lugs, tubes in the casings, and means for securing the casings to the plate.

4. A measuring instrument provided with a plate having lugs thereon with screw threaded apertures, casings having sockets adapted to receive the lugs, the walls of said casings having apertures, screws in the apertures of the casings adjustable in the screw threaded apertures of the lugs, the Walls of said casings being cut away to form openings, tubes in the casings exposed through the openings in said walls, and means for securing the casings to the plate.

In testimony whereof, I my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. LEIBY.

Witnesses ELMER LEIBY, L. E. BARKLEY. 

